Multi-shot inoculant injector instrument with adjustable ejection pressure control



Feb. 4, 1958 F. A. ZIHERL ET AL 2,821,981

MULTI- SHOT INOCULANT INJECTOR INSTRUMENT WITH ADJUSTABLE EJECTION PRESSURE CONTROL Filed July 21, 19,54 2 Shee ts-Sheet 1 \III y ikk lll

' IR 57 I il/WM ATTORNEYS F. A. ZIHERL ET AL 2,821,981 MULTI-SHOT INOCULANT INJECTOR INSTRUMENT WITH ADJUSTABLE EJECTION PRESSURE CONTROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 QTEQE EQQAWMEW ATTORNEYS Feb. 4, 1958 Eiled July 21. 1954 Qaaa K\? 5 Nm 7 7 A 74% NM v 2\ cm R 1 L m m M Q 8 E 2,821,981 MULTI-SHdT INOCULANT INJECTOR INSTRU- MENT WITH ADJUSTABLE EJECTION PRES- SURE CONTROL Frank A. Ziherl, Euclid, and Arthur S. Kish, Mayfield Heights, Ohio, assignors, by mesne assignments, to Geolfrey W. Walker, Frank Ziherl and Louis A. Ziherl, Cleveland, Ohio Application July 21, 1954, Serial No. 444,892

12 Claims. (Cl. 128-173) The present invention relates in general to inoculation instruments for injecting inoculant or medicament fiuids into the human tissues, and more particularly to a multiple shot instrument which employs the jet injection principle instead of the hypodermic needle principle.

It is a primary object of our invention to provide an instrument of the character described with simple and efiicient means for replenishing the charge of inoculant or other medicament.

Another object of our invention is to provide such an instrument with means adapting it for use with a conventional syringe reservoir.

Still another object of our invention is to provide an injector instrument with means for selectively varying the shot capacity of the instrument.

A further object of our invention is to provide such an instrument with means for selectively adjusting the ejection pressure or velocity of the medicament.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of an injector instrument embodying the features of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the instrument shown in Fig. 1, with the syringe piston retracted.

Fig'. 3 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. l and showing details of the release va ve arrangement.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of Fig. 2 and showing the fluid passageways leading to the hydraulic cylinder of the instrument.

Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 2 showing a modified form of our invention.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1-4 of the drawings, we have shown a compact inoculator device or instrument consisting of a body or housing 11 which is bored or cored centrally thereof as at 12 and counterbored as at 13 for mounting a pressure accumulator unit consisting of a hollow piston 14 and energy storing means in the form of a compression coil spring 15 bearing against the piston 14. The piston is embraced by a circumferential O-ring or sealing ring 16 which has wiping engagement with the wall of bore or cylinder 13. The piston 14 is provided with a forwardly projecting sleeve or extension 17 which is of smaller diameter than the piston body 14 and is slidably received in the bore 12. The sleeve 17 is also provided with a circumferential O-ring 18 which has wiping engagement with the wall of bore 12.

The forward-end of the body 10 is provided with a threaded opening 19, in axial alignment with bore 12, in which is threadedly secured an ampule holder element 20. An ampule or medicament chamber 21 which may be formed of stainless steel ortthe like, is slidably received in the holder and is secured against movement by means of an ampule cap 22 which bears against the tapered forward end 23 of the ampule and is threadedly secured to the holder 20. A resilient spacer or surface contact member 24 is secured to cap 22 and is provided with a roughened or uneven surface 25 so as to prevent any untoward slippage of the cap and instrument over the skin of the patient. It will be understood that cap 22 is apertured as at 26 to permit the end of ampule 21 to project therethrough, and that the ampule 21 is pro-- vided with a very small opening or orifice 27 through; which the inoculant is ejected. A gasket or ring 28 may be interposed between the cap 22 and the end of ampule 21.

The opposite or rear end of the body 10, at the termi-- nal end of the bore 13, is threaded internally for securement of an externally and internally threaded sleeve ele-- ment 29 which abuts the end of body 10. The sleeve 29' is provided with a rearwardly extending annular oifset 30 which defines an internal shoulder 31 on the sleeve.

Threadedly secured to the sleeve 29 is an adjustable: sleeve 32 which has an adjusting knob 33 fixedly secured. to its outer end, as by pins 34. The inner end of sleeve; 32 terminates in an outwardly-extending circumferential. flange 35 which is engageable with the inner end of sleeve 29 and acts as a stop limiting the rearward movement of sleeve 32.

The end surface of the flange 35 engages an anti-frictiom ball assembly 36 which in turn bears against a thrust plate 37 which is slidable in bore 13 and abuts the spring 15. The function of the sleeve 32 will be described hereinafter.

Extending axially through piston 14 and extension 17 and threadedly secured thereto is a hollow or tubular plunger 38 having an internal bore or passageway 39. To the forward end of plunger 38 is threadedly secured a plunger cap or nose 40 which is projectible into the ampule 21 to displace liquid medicament or inoculant therefrom. The tip 41 of plunger nose 40 is of conical form for registry with the tip 23 of ampule 21, so as to seal the aperture or orifice 27 when the plunger is in fully advanced position. The plunger cap 40 is provided with a bore or cavity 42 which communicates with the bore 39 of plunger 38 through a ball check valve 43 which permits uni-directional fluid flow from bore 39 to bore 42. The bore 42 communicates with the interior of ampule 21 by means of ports 44 which are provided in the wall of plunger cap 40 in the tip 41 thereof. The plunger cap 40 preferably mounts a circumferential O-ring 45 for sealing engagement with the wall of ampule 21.

The opposite end 46 of plunger 38 is provided with a tapered socket 47 and with a circumferential flange portion 48 for connection or engagement with a conventional hypodermic syringe 49. The illustrated syringe is provided with a quick-release type of connection which is designated by the proprietary name or trademark Luer- Lok Control and is commercially manufactured by Becton-Dickenson Co. The end 46 of plunger 38 is adapted for securement to this syringe in the particular embodiment shown, although it is to be understood that the plunger could be adapted for connection to any form of syringe which is considered most desirable.

The syringe 49 extends axially through the adjustable sleeve 32 and projects rearwardly beyond the knob 33 so that it is accessible for manipulation. The syringe body is provided with a series of indicia marks 50 which define the liquid capacity of ampule 21 in relation to the retracted position or location of plunger nose 40. Thus, when the plunger 38 is fully advanced, the zero line of the marks 50 will be in substantial registry with the end of knob 33. Retraction of the plunger 38 will bring the next indicia mark into registry with the end or edge of knob 33, and if the plunger is arrested at this point, the

indicia indicates that one-fourth of the volume of the ampule is available. In Fig. 2 the plunger is shown fully retracted and the indicia line 1 is in registry with knob 33 thereby designating that the plunger is fully retracted and that the maximum capacity of the ampule 21 is available.

As is customary, the syringe 49 is provided with a manually movable piston 51, which is shown in Fig. 2, in fully retracted position. The piston 51 may also be provided with indicia 52 which will register with the end of the syringe body to indicate the volume of displacement of the piston in cubic centimeters as it is advanced into the syringe body. Suitable finger rings or grips 53 may be provided on the syringe 49 for convenience of operation.

Suitable means are provided for effecting retraction and release of plunger 38. The means which we have found to be most satisfactory from the strandpoint of compactness and ease of operation utilizes fluid under pressure acting against piston 14 to displace it in opposition to coil spring 15 and thereby energize the spring. Although such fluid under pressure could be supplied to the injection device through hose or conduit from a separate or remote source, we consider it to be more desirable from the standpoint of portability and flexibility to provide a completely self-contained injection device which incorporates means for supplying the actuating fluid pressure. The means herein illustrated consists of a manually operable pump which is mounted within the body 11 of the device.

The body defines a chamber or cavity 54 which serves as a reservoir for the hydraulic fluid which is employed. A threaded plug or closure 55 serves to provide access to the reservoir for the purpose of filling it with the fluid. A follower or take-up piston 56 is slidably mounted in the reservoir 54 and is biased by a compression coil spring 57 to respond to changes in the volume of fluid contained in the reservoir. The reservoir 54 communicates with a cylinder 58 through a ball check valve 59 mounted'in a channel or fluid passageway 60.

The hydraulic fluid is drawin into cylinder 58 in response to retraction of a spring-loaded piston 61 which carries a circumferential -ring 62 which has wiping engagement with a cylinder wall insert 63. The piston 61 is advanced in cylinder 58 by means of a handlever 64 which is pivotally secured to the body 11 as at 65-and which is operatively connected to piston 61 by means of a link 66 which is pivotally secured to the hand lever as at 6'7 and is pivotally secured to the piston as at 6%.

Movement of the hand lever 64 from the dotted line position shown in Fig. 2 to the solid line position, displaces the fluid in cylinder 58 and forces it through ball check valve 69 into channel 70 which intersects transverse channel 71. Channel 71intersects a channel '72 which communicates with a port or channel 73 in the wall of cylinder 13. Repeated pumping action'of hand lever 64 Will charge the cylinder 13 with fluid under pressure to cause retraction of piston 14 and compression of spring 15.

The'port 73 also communicates with a valve-assembly which leads to reservoir 54 through means of a port 74. The fluid in cylinder 13 is-prevented from flowingainto reservoir 54 by a spring-loaded ball'check valve" 75 which forms parts of the valve assembly. A trigger or lever 76 is pivotally secured to the body 11 exteriorly thereof, as at 77, and operativelyengages an axially movable valve stem 78 which abuts theball check 75; By depressing trigger 76, the ball 75isfunseated an'd fluid may'then flow from cylinder 13 into reservoir 54 tocomplete the hydraulic cycle. When the-pressure is relieved in cylinder 13, the spring 15rapidly projects or advances piston-14 and plunger 38' to;eject"the inoculantliquid which is contained in ampule orichamber 21.

Thenormal. procedure for operation of the inoculantinjector instrument is as follows. The syringe 49 is disconnected from plunger 38 and removed from the device. The syringe is then loaded or charged with inoculant in a conventional manner, i. e., by withdrawing inoculant from a supply vessel or vial through a conventional hollow needle which is temporarily affixed to the syringe. During this filling operation the syring piston 51 is, of course, manually retracted. The filled syringe is then reassembled to the plunger by means of the connection previously described. The hand lever 64 is then manipulated to retract the plunger 38 to any selected position which will correspond to the volume of inoculant which it is desired to inject. As previously mentioned, the position of the plunger 38 can be visually determined by reference to the indicia marks 50 on the syringe 49. The ampule 21 is then charged with inoculant by advancing the syringe piston 51 to force the inoculant through the plunger bore 39 and plunger nose ports 44 until it completely fills ampule 21 as evidenced by a slight discharge from the orifice 27. If the device is now placed next to the skin of the patient and the trigger 76 is depressed, the injection will be accomplished.

For repeated operation the plunger 38 is again retracted to a selected position; the syringe piston 51 is advanced to charge the ampule 21; and the trigger 76 is released. This cycle of operation may be repeated until the supply of inoculant in syringe 49 is exhausted, at which time it is necessary to remove andreload the syringe. The indicia marks 52 on piston 51 will indicate the total volume of inoculant which has been displaced from the syringe, and may also be utilized to measure the volume of any particular injection or shot. I

If the maximum capacity of ampule 21 is designed for one cc., then a five cc. syringe will provide sufficient inoculant for five full shots, ten half-shots or twenty quarter-shots before replenishment is necessary. A larger syringe, such as one of ten cc., could be ut lized, 1f desired, to prolong the intervals between replenishments.

The primary function of the adjustable sleeve 32-33 relates to inoculation conditions in which the maximum capacity of the ampule 21 is not being utilized. Thus, with the sleeve 32 fully retracted, as shown in Fig. 2, it will be apparent that spring 15 will not be fully compressed if the plunger 38 is retracted to a halfshot position. The initial velocity of inoculant ejection for a half-shot will therefore be somewhat less than it would be for a full shot, when spring 15 is fully compressed. It is often desirable that maximum initial velocity of ejection be maintained for fractional shots, so that adequate penetration of the patients epidermis is effected. In order to overcome the aforesaid reduction of initial ejection velocity which would ordinarily occur when plunger 38 is not fully retracted, the adjustable sleeve 32 is advanced to compress spring 15 after plunger 38 has been retracted to a selected intermediate position. By turning knob 33, the flange 35 is advanced longitudinally against the anti-friction ball assembly 36 and the thrust plate 37 to fully compress spring 15 so that maximum initial velocity of ejection will be obtained irrespective of the extent of retraction of plunger 38. This adjustment can also be used to limit the retraction of the plunger 38to a selected intermediate position if a large number of uniform fractional shots are to be administered.

When the injector-instrument-is placed adjacent the skin of the patient, the roughened surface 25 of contact element 24 minimizes a slipping or sliding of the instrument over the skin. Further, the element 24 serves to effect predetermined spacing of the ejection orifice 27 relatively to the'skin-surface, as the tip of the ampule 21 may be just below the plane of the element 24.

Thus, we have disclosed an inoculant injection instrument which is designed for multi-shot operation; which is adaptedfor'use with a conventional syringe assembly as'an inoculant reservoir; which is provided with means for selecting the volume of inoculant to be injected;

which is provided with novel means for adjustment of the initial ejection velocity or pressure; and which is provided with self-contained means for providing hydraulic pressure fluid for actuating the instrument.

In Fig. 5 we have shown a slightly modified form of our invention. Unless herein otherwise indicated, the elements of the form shown in Fig. 5 are the same as those of the form heretofore described.

In the embodiment of Fig. 5, the provision for adjusting the compression of spring 15 has been eliminated, and the spring 15 seats against a centrally apertured cap 79 which is threadedly secured to the rear end of the body 11. The cap 79 also serves as a guide or support for a cylindrical syringe body 80 provided with a sli-dable syringe piston assembly 81 which terminates exteriorly of the body 80 in a knob 82. The exterior of the syringe body may be provided with suitable indicia 50, and the piston assembly 81, may also carry indicia 83 for the purposes heretofore described in reference to Fig. 2.

A plunger 38' is threadedly secured to the end of the syringe body 80 internally thereof, as at 84. The syringe 80 is externally threaded, as at 85, for securement to the piston 14.

For replenishment of the inoculant in the syringe 80, the syringe is disconnected from piston 14 and is removed from the instrument. The plunger 38', being connected only to syringe 80, will be removed therewith. The plunger 38 is then replaced by a hypodermic needle and the syringe is replenished from a vial by retraction of the piston 81. The needle is then replaced by the plunger 38 and the assembly is reinserted in the instrument as heretofore.

This modified instrument then is operated for multishot injection in the manner heretofore described, with the exceptions noted.

This application is a continuation-in-part of our copending applications Serial No. 147,166, filed March 2, 1950, now Patent No. 2,687,724 for Inoculant Injector Instrument" and Serial No. 300,224, filed July 22, 1952 for Multiple Injection Inoculator Instrument.

It is to be understood that the forms of our invention, herewith shown and described, are to be taken as pre ferred examples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of our invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described our invention, we claim:

1. In an inoculant injector instrument, the combination of a body, a medicament chamber provided on one end of said body, a pressure accumulator mounted in said body and cooperating with said chamber to eject medicament therefrom, and medicament supply means removably associated with said body and communicating with said chamber.

2. In an inoculant injector instrument, the combination of a body, an inoculant chamber provided on one end of said body, a tubular ejection member slidably mounted in said body and movable into said chamber to eject inoculant therefrom, fluid pressure means carried by said body and operatively associated with said mem her to effect displacement thereof, a supply reservoir removably secured to said member for movement therewith, and means for displacing inoculant from said reservoir into said chamber.

3. In an inoculant injector instrument, the combination of a 'body, an inoculant chamber provided on said body, a hollow plunger slidably mounted by said body for ejecting movement into said chamber, an inoculant reservoir removably secured to said plunger, a hydraulic cylinder including a piston mounted in said body, means connecting said plunger to said piston for movement therewith, and fluid pressure means for effecting retraction of said piston.

4. In an inoculant injector instrument, the combina tion of .a hollow body, an inoculant chamber provided on one end of said body, a hollow ejection member slidably mounted in said body and movable into said chamber to eject inoculant therefrom, an inoculant reservoir mounted in said body for movement with said member, means for discharging inoculant from said reservoir into said chamber through said hollow member, and actuating means operatively associated with said member to effect movement thereof.

5. In an inoculant injector instrument, the combination of a hollow body, an inoculant chamber provided on one end of said body, a tubular ejection member slidably mounted in said body and provided with a nose movable into said chamber to eject inoculant therefrom, actuating means carried by said body and operatively associated with said member to effect movement thereof,

and a hollow element projecting from the other end of said body and having communication with the bore of said ejection member.

6. In an inoculant injector instrument, the combination of a body, an inoculant chamber provided on one end of said body, an ejection member mounted in said body and movable into said inoculant chamber, means for retracting said member, energy storing means energized in response to retraction of said member, means for retaining said member in a selected position of retraction, means carried by said body independently of said member for effecting selective increased energization of said energy storing means, and means for releasing said retaining means.

7. A combination, as defined in claim 6, wherein said first-named means comprise fluid pressure means operatively associated with said member.

8. A combination, as defined in claim 6, wherein said energy storing means comprise a spring engaging said member.

9. A combination, as defined in claim 6, wherein said first-named means comprise fluid pressure means operatively associated with said member, and said retaining means comprise a manually operable valve associated with said fluid pressure means.

10. A combination, as defined in claim 6, wherein said energy storing means comprise a spring engaging said member, and said means for effecting selective increased energization of said spring comprise a longitudinally adjustable spring retaining element mounted on said body.

11. A combination, as defined in claim 6, including an inoculant reservoir associated with said body on the other end thereof, and means for transferring inoculant from said reservoir to said chamber.

12. A combination, as defined in claim 6, including an inoculant reservoir connected to said member, and means providing a passageway through said member between said reservoir and said chamber.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

